Uh, Oh.. What do I do now? Stainless Pans

[whirlcool]

I have a problem I hope someone here can assist me with. Every night while I am home I have a nice cup of Green Tea. I find it very relaxing.
What I did two nights ago was use one of our Cuisinart pots to heat the water. You know, the nice ultra shiny stainless ones. Well, I was browsing automatic.washer and forgot about the water that was heating. I went into the kitchen to find the pot totally empty, all the water had boiled away quite some time earlier. Needless to say the pot is no longer shiny and the interior is covered with black specs that nothing will take off and the exterior of the pot is rather a strange color, kinda scorched.
To make matters worse, guess what I did last night? I did the same thing to another Cuisinart pot. Same thing, pot is in same condition. I am now banned from the kitchen and if I want my tea, my wife will make it for me and if it's too late and she goes to bed, tough.
To say I feel like a dumb-a** is an understatement. Are these pans trashed or can something be done to restore them back to what they looked like before I overheated them? If not it looks like I will be going out pot shopping this weekend.

 

[appnut]

Allen, I don't have a clue about the pans. But, this is a fine example of why I nuke hot water for tea and cocoa in the winter time, just in case I get distracted or something.

 

[DADoES]

Or something.

Sounds like mineral deposits and/or some kind of chemical/heat related reaction.

Apparently, stainless steel, isn't. Eeeeek!

I've heard it suggested that aluminum canners stained from mineral deposits can be cleaned by boiling with 1 TBSP cream of tartar per quart of water. Wonder if that'd work on SS?

Bar Keeper's Friend? That worked very well for stains on my stainless steel 'fridge and DishDrawer.

But sounds like this is beyond all that.

 

[brettsomers]

or try mothers metal polish, in the automotive section, or try superfine steel wool, followed by the mothers.

 

[maytagbear]

Get a dedicated

teakettle, with a loud whistle?

Revere whistles are good, as is the whistle on the Chantal kettle.

You may have to grit your teeth and go to BB & B or Linens n' Things and replace the pans. Not that the current ones probably couldn't be rehabilitated, but to get back into the good graces of your goodlady wife.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[SactoTeddyBear]

Re: Alternate thought:

Why don't you look into getting an Electric Water Heating Kettle. I've seen some of my Friends and they turn off after the Water is heated and it keeps the Water Hot for quite a while as well.

At least with an Electric Water Kettle that turns off, you won't have to worry about getting distracted and forgetting about the Kettle being on the Stove, heating your Water.

Good Luck, hope that this helps you with an alternate decision for heating your Water for your Tea.

Peace, enjoy your Tea and some Crumpets with it, Steve
SactoTeddyBear...

 

[mixfinder]

Turn it Down

Testicular cooking often leads to less than satisfactory results. Mom always said to cook everything on medium and then you have a 50/50 chance of getting back to the stove before it's burned.
You have overheated the pans and if they are blueish you're just screwed. I have the same pans. I spray them routinely with Mr Muscle inside and out and let them set a bit before using SOS. Metal Polish or Rubbing Compound are your best choice to restore the pans.
Kelly

 

[frigilux]

Allen--- As Kelly says, if the pans have turned bluish, they're permanently scarred. I strongly suggest this plan of action: Reservations at a fantastic restaurant and a throughtfully-selected piece of jewelry. This is your best bet for regaining kitchen privileges. Good luck and don't feel bad; most of us have fried a pan or two at some point in our lives. It happens.

 

[gadgetgary]

Nuke hot water?

I never do that....IMHO....it changes the taste.

Why does nuked water 'foam' when you add the teabag?

 

[appnut]

Gary, I've noticed the "foam" aspect before, but just overlook it. My approach is simply because it's safer for me, takes less time than on my rangetop, and is more energy efficient.

Kelly, I love your responses, they lift me up. It's going to be such an honor to meet you some day.

 

[flair_range]

Chrome Polish

The blue and possibly gold discoloration on scorched stainless steel is the same as the blue and gold stains on chrome motorcycle exhaust pipes. I have removed blue discoloration from the bottoms of stainless steel pots with Scotch-Brite pads (both the green and the red pads). I have used Semichrome to polish stainless steel polish and it might remove blue from stainless steel. Most motorcycle shops carry products that are supposed to remove blue from chrome.

I Googled for a chrome blue remover and the first link that I went to was a review for a product called "Blue Job Chrome Polish" which the reviewer said was effective in his test. I have no idea whether this review is legit or not. http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/blue-job/blue-job-chrome-polish.htm

Blue Job's site is at http://bluejob.shop-utopia.com/ I found it on Amazon for cheaper than they sell it on the web site.

 

[jamiel]

Nuked water foams b/c you're generally heating it in a smooth-sided (i.e. ceramic) mug which doesn't have porosities to coalesce the trapped air into bubbles. The teabag (clearly porous/textured) creates a way for that trapped air to coalesce and thus, foam.

 

[gadgetgary]

Jamie

Thank you for clarifying.

I still think that nuked water(or nuked reheated coffee) has a different taste.

I will stick with the traditional methods.

 

[washertalk]

Would it be too much to simply buy her a new pan(s) (that matches) and keep this (these) pans for your use.
And possibly install a hot water dispenser on your sink.

I have the occasional cup of tea or cocoa. A mug full of water from an R.O. system in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes seems to work fine. )

 

[petek]

An electric tea kettle is the answer as mentioned OR an Instant Hot hot water dispenser installed on the kitchen sink. They're ok for green tea which shouldn't be boiled but for black teas they really should be steeped in water that is still boiling. Actually there's another little appliance common in Japan and you can buy them over here. Electric water pots, which look like a large plug in Thermos. They will hold about a half gallon of water at the ready and hot, or push the button for a quick boil, then push another button to dispense the water. They cost about $100 at Asian food/gadget stores whereas an electric kettle can be had for less than $20

 

[toggleswitch]

I would try oven cleaner with LYE for scorching, and burnt food. Not sure how to get rid of the purple "over-heat" flag...That comes and goes on my pots and pans.

 

[jaxsunst]

They have come out with Green Tea discs for my beloved Tassimo, I recommend that.

 

[washerboy]

S.O.S or Brillo pads!!

I have a set of stainless steel cookware..I love!!! have had the same thing happen..oops..more than once...give em a scurb with S.O.S or Brillo pads...they also work well when your teenager tries to help by putting aluminum (sp) in the dish washer...brings the shine right back. Happy scrubbing!!!

 

[cleanteamofny]

Boys............, boys sit down and learn something!!!

There is one product that will make you SS shine like new and it is found in the dishwashing section of your grocery store and it is called.....

Johnny stop chewing that gum and Diane stop braiding Tisha hair.

David since you sitting staight and raising your hands what is the answer?

It's "Cameo Aluminum and Stainless Steel Cleaner" Ms. Crabbyapplebottombee.

That is right David......, so students go out and get yourself a bottle and make those pots and pans shine like new!

 

[whirlcool]

Thank you all for the most generous responses!

It looks like the electric kettle, is the way to go. We actually have a tea kettle for the stove top, but it is years old and you can't really get inside to clean it out. That's why we no longer use it, but an electric kettle seems like just the thing. How do you get inside the kettle for a good cleaning?

If I use that exhaust polish on the pans, won't that leave a residue on the pots that may not be food quality?

Yes, the pots do have a bluish tint to them. I tried SOS on them and it didn't do anything. It looks like the black specs are burnt into the finish. I think those are the minerals that are left over from the water.

It looks like I will be going pot shopping this weekend. I was telling one of our neighbors about what happened and he said that he did this once before and fell asleep. He woke up hours later and found his pot literally welded to the burner! Fortunately all he had to replace was the pot, the heating element and the drip pan.

On one of those cable science shows I saw a short about heating liquids in the microwave. They recommend you put something in the water to break the surface tension. A plastic spoon or even a toothpick will work. Otherwise when you put in your tea bag the liquid can come splashing out of the container with quite a force and burn your hands or even your face. I use a large mug for my tea, it takes our microwave about 4 minutes to bring 1-1/2 cups of water to the brink of a boil. But the water going into the microwave is ice cold as it comes out of the refrigerator that has an exterior filter fitted.

 

[toggleswitch]

How do you get inside the kettle for a good cleaning?

Get one with a "big-mouth".
The trick seems to be getting a big lid, a whistle and one that looks nice, all in one unit.

I got this one. (No whistle, though. and no "keep warm" All stainless-steel "cordless" electric. The black plastic base (below the SS water tank) allows this unit to sit on any surface in that the bottom is not hot.

http://www.lnt.com/sm-cuisinart-cordless-electric-tea-kettle-chrome--pi-1351731.html

 

[veg-o-matic]

I used to think that "exploding water in the microwave" was just an urban legend until I saw it in action. It's a scary thing.

Here's what I would do. Since the pans still "work", just keep using 'em. If the discoloration bothers you, bite the bullet and get some new ones. Call it a learning experience.

Then get yourself a (preferably vintage) Sunbeam Hot Shot. It'll have the water hot before you can even get the tea out, and once it's off, it's off.

veg

 

[toggleswitch]

Of course you could get a Farberware SS percolator and use it to heat water. It DOES have a keep-warm heater, but no auto shut-off when dry.

http://www.esalton.com/control/category/~category_id=C20006

 

[flair_range]

"How do you get inside the kettle for a good cleaning? "

Swish small gravel or large sand around the bottom. Hartz packages a gravel called "Hartz Gravel & Grit Digestive Aid" that is used with caged birds and it might work for swishing and cleaning the inside of tea kettles.

 

[DADoES]

I'm not a physicist, but it is my understanding that microwaves are non-ionizing, so theoretically they shouldn't effect any chemical changes to the water.

I rarely heat water for food any way except via microwave .... even making packaged pasta salad, I do it in a large bowl, casserole, or more recently in a Visions pot, in the micro.

 

[washertalk]

speaking of scale build up in a tea kettle

A childhood friend's mother, lets just call her, ELLEN, because, well, that is her real name.
She always made tea via tea kettle with the kettle that had a trigger handle that opened the whistle fitted spout cover. (Hers was harvest gold w/white flowers)
She never cleaned it! Huge chunks of lime on the bottom from hard water. So big they wouldn't fall out the spout when turned upside down.??!

I share your concern about using a chemical inside ANY water heating container. I would think there should be a warning on the bottle of cleaner/polisher about that safty risk(though with this EPA/Food & Drug Administration...?)

 

[frigilux]

What?! No thoughtfully-selected jewelry for the wife?

OK---at least tell her I tried, LOL!

 

[flair_range]

" If I use that exhaust polish on the pans, won't that leave a residue on the pots that may not be food quality? "

I wouldn't use exhaust polish inside the pan, I would use it on the shiny outside of the pan. In the case of blue stain, I would probably not worry about the inside, because the inside doesn't show while it is hanging in the pot rack.

I use Scotch Brite on the inside and outside bottom of my All-Clad pots and pans, and I polish the outside with Simichrome and a Beck shoe polisher, with a polishing bonnet that I only use to polish metal. I don't think that All-Clad would survive a scorching like that because the bottoms of All-Clad pots and pans have an aluminum core. Consumer Reports recently did a report on cookware which included allowing pans to boil dry. The aluminum layer in the All-Clad pan melted and the bottom disk separated from the pan.

 

[mixfinder]

Cuisinart

Macy's has been running a sale on the 10 piece Cuisinart stainless set for 149.00. The handles and designes are clones of All Clad, so across the room, it looks like All-Clad.
Kelly

 

[washertalk]

Whoa, wow there are enough pans to last a lifetime.

I'm still using my revere ware ss pans I bought in 1988. 3 of them a small sauce pan, a medium sauce pan, and a fry pan which I must admit, I too, left on a burner twice with water in (1991) and it evaporated and discolored the bottom of the pan.
I also over cooked chicken once that turned black and stuck to the pan. But I soaked and used baking soda and that came off-eventually. blah, blah I only stove top cook maybe twice a month, now. I use the oven more often.

In addition to the pans, nice stove and cute clock.